


In Sickness and in Health

by Moiloru



Series: Growing With Hope [7]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Hope's Peak Academy, Naegiri - Freeform, Pre-Canon, Sickfic, Side Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:20:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27578402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moiloru/pseuds/Moiloru
Summary: Makoto woke up not feeling particularly well. Deciding to fight through it and spend the day with his classmates nonetheless, Kyoko admonishes him and decides to spend the day with him in his room until he gets better. What could possibly go wrong?Side story toThe Academy of Hope.
Relationships: Kirigiri Jin & Kirigiri Kyoko, Kirigiri Kyoko & Maizono Sayaka, Kirigiri Kyoko/Naegi Makoto, Kuwata Leon/Maizono Sayaka, Maizono Sayaka & Naegi Makoto
Series: Growing With Hope [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1799014
Comments: 12
Kudos: 39





	1. Makoto's Sickness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WiiFan2009](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WiiFan2009/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is a result of WiiFan2009's ask on my Tumblr, so huge thanks to him for the idea! It is a side story to The Academy of Hope, my main story, and takes place in-between Hifumi's and Celeste's scenes in Chapter Fourteen. Though you can read it without much knowledge of my timeline and the main story. This will be a two-shot, and here's the first chapter! Hope you enjoy it!

**_Chapter One:_ _Makoto's Sickness_ **

It was a weird feeling and not the pleasant kind. Makoto's head felt heavy as if it weighed a ton. He made a guess and decided it wasn't due to his brain's size increasing overnight - a plausible guess since the Luckster was drenched in sweat.

 _M-My head hurts…_ He thought, getting in a seated position on his bed with difficulty. _Seems like I caught something… somehow…_

Indeed, being purposefully sheltered inside a building had its downsides, the lack of interaction with the outside world being the main one. However, it still had advantages, even if they were only a few. The plan the Headmaster had put in motion aimed to protect Class 78th from the growing despair of the Tragedy outside Hope's Peak Academy, but it also protected the class from potential viruses and illnesses spreading outside.

Well, it _had_ protected them because apparently, the Ultimate Lucky Student had once again been not-so-lucky and gotten sick.

 _Great…_ The boy sighed as he stood up tiredly, wiping some of the sweat away with the back of his hand. _Guess I'll have to fight through it, though… And a shower should do me some good!_

A smile tugged Makoto's lips as he headed for the bathroom with a pile of clothes to choose from at the ready. He was absolutely right to think it would help, as he came out clean - and while not any less sick, certainly less sweaty.

"I still wonder how I caught whatever I caught…" the lucky student wondered as he put on his hoodie and finished preparing with trying to dompt his rebellious ahoge for the umpteenth time. "Well, I suppose the walls aren't _perfectly_ airtight…"

_Well, I prefer that over an assault from the Mastermind's worshipers… But enough about that! I better head to the Dining Hall or the others are going to worry… and I don't want that._

A lavender-haired girl detective's face flashed through his mind, which made him , he coughed a couple of times for good measure, and to ensure he didn't go on a coughing fit when he got to the Dining Hall, Makoto left his room and headed to meet his classmates.

* * *

"Hey, everyone." Makoto greeted with as much spirit as his aching head would allow and got his classmates' attention.

"Ah, Professor Makoto!" Taka was the first one to notice him, standing next to the big table. "You are on time, although I can't help but notice that this is a little later than your usual arrival time!"

"A-Ah, about that…" _Well, took me long enough to be busted…_ The Luckster thought ironically. "I forgot to set my alarm when I went to sleep last night, so I woke up a little later than usual. Sorry about that, guys."

"No need to be sorry, Makoto!" the cheerful Hina said with a smile. "We all forget from time to time; it's okay."

"Thanks, Hina," he told the swimmer and tried to match her smile, though he winced when a sudden pain went through his skull. _Let's just hope this goes away sooner than later…_

The boy walked through the Dining Hall to the table his classmates were sitting at, smiling at his girlfriend, who smiled back.

"Hey, Kyoko." he greeted her and felt a part of the pain being eased off when she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, Makoto, thank you," she said and placed a hand on his thigh softly. "What about you?"

"Oh, I'm fine, too. The extra sleep didn't do me any harm, haha." Makoto lied and let out an almost genuine laugh. This was the best he could try to fool his detective girlfriend - whom he knew was nigh impossible to trick. "Thanks."

"No worries." the Ultimate Detective said and went back to her cup of Civet Coffee. "You look a bit pale, though. Are you sure you're alright?"

 _Please, Kyoko, let it go… I know you don't mean any harm, but I don't want you to worry about me…_ The boy thought and to make sure his lovely girlfriend would drop it, gave her a reassuring smile, and said, "Yeah, I'm alright. Do I really look pale?" he asked, though he knew it was possible. His head didn't hurt any less, either.

"A little bit… But it might be just me." Kyoko told him, apparently convinced by his lie. "Sorry to bother you, let's have our breakfast. What do you want?"

"Don't worry, it's fine," Makoto said honestly. Her care was appreciated, most definitely. "Could you reach for a bowl of miso soup, please?" _Let's hope drinking something will help with the headache…_

The detective nodded and gave him one of the bowls the early risers had prepared for the whole class. Makoto took it with a grateful nod and began to drink the hot beverage.

 _Ah, whoever prepared this, you are a great cook!_ Makoto thought as the taste of the soup pleased his tastebuds and allowed him to forget about the growing headache raging through his skull for a moment. Seeing him visibly doing better, Kyoko smiled.

 _I don't know what's going on, Makoto, but I really hope you are alright…_ The girl thought, her gloved hand caressing her boyfriend's leg in tender strokes. _I'll need to learn how to cook one day, so I can feel the satisfaction of *my* meals having such an effect on you…_

She smiled, and Makoto did too, though for different reasons. He was the one to speak up again.

"Any idea what we could do today, Kyoko?" the Luckster asked. Indeed, being confined to one building, as complete as it was, meant that you quickly ran out of things to do without some creativity. So far, they were doing alright, but whether that would continue to be the case remained to be seen. Makoto continued, "Maybe we could go to the game ro- argh!"

An intense pain passed through Makoto's head, forcing him to hold his head for a couple of seconds, waiting for it to be gone. This obviously didn't go unnoticed by his girlfriend.

"Makoto! Are you alright…?" she asked again, comforted in her guess that he was _not_ alright at all.

"Y-Yeah, yeah, I'm fine… Just a random burst of pain, but it's gone now." the Ultimate Lucky Student answered with another lie - it didn't hurt as much, but it still hurt. "Maybe I hit my head while sleeping, and it hurts now, I don't *cough* know…"

_Great, now I'm coughing… At this rate, Kyoko'll tell me to go back to my room in a minute or so! I don't want to waste my day doing nothing, and especially not leaving Kyoko for an entire day, maybe more!_

The will to be with his girlfriend - even if it meant fighting through the pain - made Makoto appear a little more in shape than a few seconds before. The Ultimate Detective saw that and reluctantly nodded.

_I hope you aren't lying to me, Makoto… If you aren't doing well, you should just tell me…_

* * *

The class was dispersing after breakfast, everyone separating until lunch in a few hours. Makoto and Kyoko were glad their two friends and couple Sayaka and Leon had invited them to come to the game room with them, and the Ultimates Lucky Student and Detective were heading there right now.

Unfortunately for Makoto, the headache was still there and as painful as it had ever been since he woke up. It would hit him hard then ease off for a couple of minutes - though without completely disappearing - before it came storming back. He only hoped it wouldn't last for too long, or it would quickly become annoying.

 _I can fight through it, but I'd rather not have to…_ The boy thought and walked along, though quite shakily. _It makes me unable to focus clearly, even on my footing… Talk about Ultimate Luck…_

Kyoko kept an eye on her boyfriend, and especially since the end of breakfast. He'd been weirdly quiet, and there were now little doubts in her mind that her beloved Makoto wasn't doing as well as he claimed. He was no Hina, but Makoto Naegi was known for being talkative among the group, but this morning… he had been silent for the most part.

She sighed in exasperation. _Whatever's going on, I hope you know what you're doing…_

Leon and Sayaka were walking ahead, leaving Makoto and Kyoko a bit behind as they headed for the third floor and the game room. That wasn't because the pop star and ballplayer were walking at a quick pace, but because the Ultimate Detective had to stop every two seconds to see if the Luckster was still following.

"I hate to ask again, but are you alright, Makoto?" she wondered, frowning worriedly as Makoto almost tripped on his foot, losing his balance. She had to catch him before he fell face first. "If you aren't, please tell me. You're disoriented and slowing us down."

This was really factual, and even a little cold, but Kyoko hoped it would get her the truth out of her boyfriend.

 _A-Argh, this is getting unbearable…_ The Luckster thought, wincing in pain as he walked another few shaky steps. "T-Thanks, Kyoko, but I-I'm alright… Maybe I drank too much soup…?" _God, I hate lying to her…_

The boy bit his lip not to cry in pain as his headache worsened again. He took his girlfriend's hand with his own and let her do the walking for him - which appeared to be quicker for a few steps.

Still, the couple's slowness alerted their two friends. Kyoko noticed Sayaka asking Leon to stop walking as she turned back to check on them.

"Kyoko? Makoto? Are you two alright?" the blue-haired Ultimate asked. "You've been slow for a while now!" she smirked before adding playfully, "You can tell us if you don't wanna come; we won't kidnap you!"

"We're coming, Sayaka. You can walk ahead; we'll catch up to you." Kyoko assured her, earning a nod from the Ultimate Pop Sensation who did as she was told.

The Ultimate Detective waited for Sayaka to be gone on the next floor before she addressed her boyfriend again. "You clearly aren't alright, Makoto. Did anything happen? Did someone tell you anything to put you in this state?"

"N-No… I'm fine, Kyoko, I told you…" he said heartbreakingly. _Ironic how you became my most caring friend thanks to me and that right now, I don't want you to waste time because of me…_ "Let's continue. We'll make Sayaka and Leon wait."

"If you say so…" she muttered unsurely. _I promised Makoto I would trust him no matter what, so if he says he's alright, I'm inclined to trust him._ Kyoko thought and resumed walking with her boyfriend next to her.

Makoto focused on every step to make sure he didn't trip or fall and did his best to forget about the throbbing headache. His legs began to hurt, but he fought through it.

 _What the hell have I caught that I can't even stand upright correctly?!_ He wondered with frustration but nonetheless did his best to keep up with Kyoko's pace. _The flu? God, I hope it's nothing too serious…_

Indeed, their current situation meant they didn't have access to any kind of highly-advanced medical stuff, and only a few students had experience dealing with illnesses. Kyoko was one, but mostly for first-aid on the victims of her case.

Makoto hoped he wasn't ending up on the doorstep of death anytime soon.

But he made it to the door and sighed in relief. He knew there were chairs inside and that he could just sit in one of them and look at his girlfriend and his two best friends, pretexting he was tired. Talking about Sayaka and Leon, they were waiting at the door.

"Ah, there you are!" the Ultimate Baseball Star said as he noticed the lavender-haired girl and her cute boyfriend coming. "Man, you took your time!"

"Sorry…" Makoto weakly apologized. "I must have stepped on my laces or something and almost fell on the way…"

 _You were already slow before that, Makoto…_ Kyoko thought but kept that to herself as the redhead nodded, and his girlfriend opened the door to the room.

Kyoko headed in after the other couple, leaving Makoto at the door.

 _Well, Makoto, you made it! Just have to get seated somewhere, then I should be fine-_ "AAAARGH!"

*THUMP*

"AAAAAH! W-W-What was that?!"

"The fuck?"

"Huh?"

Sayaka, Leon, and Kyoko respectively reacted to the loud cry of pain they had just heard as well as the falling sound coming from outside. The three of them turned around in the direction of the sounds and noticed Makoto on the floor.

"A-AAAH! M-Makoto!" Sayaka cried and quickly went to her best friend's side, followed closely by her boyfriend, who cursed along the way. The pop idol shook him up a bit but got no reaction. "K-Kyoko! C-Come look!"

The detective hurried to her boyfriend's form on the ground and kneeled before him. Her hand immediately reached for his neck as she placed a finger to look for a pulse. Only after she felt Makoto's heartbeat did she sigh.

"So he wasn't as alright as he claimed to be…" the girl said in a mix of regret and a bit of anger. "He's been acting oddly since breakfast but told me he was alright. Apparently, he wasn't."

Her factual tone made Sayaka and Leon understand she wasn't so happy about the situation.

"I-Is he…" the pop sensation paused and bit her nails. "I-Is he alive…?"

"Oh, he's quite alive, don't worry about that…" Kyoko matter-of-factly said, which made the two other Ultimates sigh in relief. "But he's earned a trip back to bed until he gets better and an admonishment for whenever he wakes up. He's unconscious, in case you were wondering."

Indeed, some snoring could be heard coming from Makoto, which made Kyoko smile even in this situation.

"Man, he must have been pretty messed up if he just fell unconscious like this…" Leon said and wrapped an arm around Sayaka's waist for her comfort. "Do you need help to bring him back to his room, Kyoko?"

"I'll be fine, no need to worry." the Ultimate Detective said and effortlessly carried her sleeping boyfriend up and placed him on her shoulder. "You two shouldn't have your day wasted because Mr. Naegi thought it was wise to keep his sickness a secret from me. I'll keep you updated."

"Okay, please do, Kyoko!" Sayaka said and got a nod from her female friend. "We'll see you later!"

Kyoko nodded, and they parted ways, with the Ultimate Detective waiting for their two friends to be inside the game room to let out a bit of her frustration.

"You're lucky I love you so much, or I'd just leave you here!" she told his unconscious form, hoping it would register anyway. "I don't like being lied to, and even less by the person I love and admire! I don't have it in my to scold you, but you'd deserve it!"

_Talk about stubbornness…_

* * *

*yaaaaaawn* _Man, I didn't expect to fall unconscious!_ Makoto thought as his eyes opened, though his head felt as heavy as it was before. "That sucks… Kyoko will ask me why I didn't tell her…"

"Indeed. I have a pretty clear idea as to why you didn't, but in this case, honesty would have been the best policy. I'm your girlfriend, remember?"

"H-Huh?" Makoto's eyes widened as he took in the purple silhouette in front of what appeared to be his bed, and he gasped. "K-Kyoko?! A-Am I in my room?! And… And how did we get here?!"

"Because I brought you there, silly!" she said and shook her head. "You didn't get the ability to teleport, especially not in the state you're in."

_Yeah, I'm not sure I'd be able to get up with how I'm feeling right now…_

"But I'm not going to lecture you because you don't deserve a lecture," Kyoko told him, pulling a chair near his bedside and sitting next to him. "But the next time this happens - hopefully not soon - you need to tell me about it, alright?" she cradled his cheeks with her gloved palms. "I love you, Makoto, and I want to make sure I can be by your side when you need it most, okay?"

"Okay." Makoto nodded, smiling as he heard his girlfriend's melodious voice ring through his ears and replacing the pain from his headache. "Sorry I kept it *cough* from you. I didn't want you to worry."

"It's fine; water under the bridge now. Now, let's see how serious this is…" the detective said before placing her hand on her lover's forehead and pulling it away the very next second. "Woah! M-Makoto! You're burning hot! And your skin is all sweaty!"

"I-Is… Is it that bad…?" the boy asked, not as hopeful as he usually was. _It must be, though, if it was enough to make me go unconscious earlier…_

"Indeed, it is. I'll go and get you some medicine from the Nurse's Office, okay?" seeing Makoto nod, Kyoko continued. "You go ahead and remove that thick hoodie of yours, too. It should help. Well, I'll be back quickly."

 _She reminds me of Mom…_ Makoto thought with a smile as his girlfriend took leave from his room to get his medicine. _And she's right: I shouldn't have kept my sickness hidden from her, whatever my reasons were… Kyoko trusts me, whether it is in health or in illness, and I can't betray that trust! *cough*_

"There, a painkiller and a glass of water," Kyoko said and handed him the little pill. "For your headache."

"Thanks, Kyoko." her boyfriend said with a thankful (and really adorable) smile towards her. "What would I do without you *cough* in my life, I wonder…"

The Ultimate Detective blushed red in a heartbeat at the compliment and responded by caressing his right cheek. They stared at each other for a few seconds after Makoto swallowed the medicine with ease.

 _Even sick like this, he's still so cute…_ Kyoko found herself staring into his bright hazel eyes, which, even if they appeared a bit tired, were amazingly pretty. They said the eyes were the windows of the soul, and no one would hear Kyoko object to that. _Still smiling, even when you're ill like this… You really are an example, Makoto, and I love you so much…_

"A-A-Ah, I'm g-gonna s-sneeze! L-Look out!" Makoto announced, stopping his girlfriend's train of thought as she got away from his face quickly.

*achoo* *achoo*

The detective reached inside one of her pockets and took out a handkerchief before handing it to the Ultimate Lucky Student, who had snot right under his nose.

"Bless you. And… you might need this…" Kyoko said and rolled her eyes while the boy blew his nose in her purple tissue. "The medicine should take effect in less than twenty minutes. I just hope it'll help with both the headache and the fever."

"Yeah, I'd love it too, believe me…" Makoto said and sighed, feeling another burst of pain inside his head. "No clue as to how I caught it since we're sheltered and all…"

The detective got up from the chair again before getting into her pensive stance and giving her two salts, "Well, I am no doctor, but I suppose it's harder to isolate yourself from viruses than despair-addicts. Reinforced doors might work to stop bullets and people, but I guess not for whatever you caught."

"*cough* True… This sucks, though… I was hoping to spend the day with you guys, but I guess not…"

"Indeed. You're staying in bed for the day, and if you're doing better tomorrow, we'll reassess the issue." Kyoko said, almost ordered before adding, "And before you ask, I'm not going anywhere, so don't try to hit me with the 'you shouldn't waste your day because of me' crap."

_There's no convincing her when she's like this, I'm afraid… Though I wish she really didn't waste her time tending to my health instead of having fun with the others… We have enough trouble to deal with already…_

Makoto's eyes closed by themselves before he opened them up again a second later. This caught Kyoko's attentive eye, and it didn't take her more than a second to admonish her boyfriend.

"If you need sleep, don't resist it." the detective girl told him from where she stood, seeing him repeat the process to keep his eyes open a few more times. "Rest will do you some more good than any medicine might, you know?"

"N-No, I'm fine, Kyoko, no need to worry," he assured her, smiling through the pain. "Once the medicine kicks in, I'll be doing better anyway."

"You say that, but if your eyes decided you needed sleep, then you won't be able to resist it for very long." she reminded him.

*achoo*

"For the better."

 _Well, that proved her point…_ Makoto thought, though he refused to admit defeat and leave his girlfriend alone by falling asleep. _And I've got a plan not to fall asleep!_ "Fine, I just need some caffeine to keep me awake, and then I'll be good."

The Ultimate Detective sweatdropped and sighed all at once. _You really don't get it, do you…_ She smiled, recognizing there the cute stubbornness and care that had made her fall for the boy. _Fine, we'll play, Makoto Naegi…_ "Then go and find yourself a coffee, why don't you? Though don't forget: you're not allowed to leave the room for the day."

"No, I didn't plan on leaving the room, *cough* anyway," Makoto told her and reached inside the hoodie he had left near his bedside. "Since you're obviously not going to get me one if I ask, I'll ask someone else!" _Sayaka, for example…_

"Haha, you think you're so smart, Mr. Naegi?" she asked him with a smirk. "Well, good luck outsmarting the Ultimate Detective!"

She took out her own e-handbook from inside her vest pocket and quickly began to tap until she got to the messaging app. Makoto did the same.

" _Hello again, Sayaka!_

_Kyoko has forced me to stay in bed for the day since I'm sick, and I feel like I'm soon gonna fall asleep. She won't bring me a coffee so I can stay awake with her, though, so do you think you could grab me a cup at the Dining Hall, please? I'd appreciate it a lot!_

_Thanks in advance,  
_ _Makoto._

_PS: Sorry if I worried you earlier!"_

Makoto pressed sent, quite confident that he had sent his message before Kyoko. Though when he looked up, he saw her with a smug look on her face, and more precisely, without a handbook to be seen.

" _Good morning again, Sayaka._

_I have brought Makoto back to his room and given him some medicine. Verdict's that he has a pretty strong fever and a headache. He needs rest and is about to fall asleep, though you know him: he doesn't want to fall asleep, so I don't have to remain alone by his bedside. I won't bring him the cup of coffee he wants, and please don't either._

_On another note, he won't be coming out of his room until he's doing better, so whatever he's caught doesn't spread. So please do not worry about this. I'll go and grab a quick bite at the Dining Hall for lunch if he falls asleep before then, so we can discuss it more then. I hope you and Leon are having fun._

_Thank you,  
_ _Kyoko."_

"There, I think that will convince her," Kyoko said, keeping the smirk on her lips to playfully mock her boyfriend before adding, "You're not so good at fingering as I am, Makoto."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"T-The screen, I mean! F-Fingering the screen… T-Typing texts… Not… Never mind, forget it…" _He's rubbing off on me…_

Kyoko facepalmed, realizing her poor wording would earn her mockery from her boyfriend for the days to come. She sighed, though a sound quickly caught her attention.

"Zzzzzzz…"

 _Well, there's that, I suppose…_ Kyoko giggled as her boyfriend began to snore, having been unable to resist the call to sleep. "Sleep tight, Makoto. Some rest will put you back into shape quicker than you think. I love you."

* * *

"K-Kyoko…? You there, Kyoko?" Makoto weakly called out as he woke up for the third time to the day. His vision was still blurry, though a touch of pink a few feet away gave him his answer.

"Kyoko Kirigiri, Ultimate Detective, at your service." the girl replied and got up from the chair at the boy's desk towards the bed. "Did you sleep well, Makoto?"

"Yeah, I sure did…" _Not that I planned to sleep at all, but I guess my body thought differently…_ "What time is it now? I must have missed lunch, didn't I?"

Kyoko gave out a small chuckle. "Hm, not quite. Well, you did miss lunch, but… not _only_ lunch. It's eight in the evening right now, Makoto."

"WHAAAAAAT?!" his eyes widened as he exclaimed this in surprise. "I-I slept the entire day?! Like… for real?"

"Yes. Don't you try to tell me you didn't need the sleep, Makoto." she gave him a stern look and was almost sure she heard him gulp. _Though, I'll admit I didn't expect him to sleep for about ten hours…_ "You should be doing better now, right?"

"Hm, kinda?" the Ultimate Lucky Student said, holding his head, though it hurt less than it did before. "The headache's not completely gone, but I don't feel like I'm gonna pass out, you see? Though it sucks that I lost the entire day by staying in bed…"

"Well, you wouldn't have been able to partake in any activity in your state, anyway." Kyoko reminded him factually. "I don't know what you were expecting when you went to the game room with Sayaka, Leon, and I earlier, frankly. I know you're an idealist and upmost optimist, but this isn't a fairy tale, Makoto: some fun doesn't cure sicknesses. You might rub off on me, but not _that_ much."

She giggled, and Makoto did too.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, Kyoko… But I didn't want you to waste a day because of me either…" he told her with a small smile, which she returned earnestly.

"Don't sweat it. You're cute enough that staring at you all day was pleasant." the detective told him with a teasing smirk. Makoto felt his heart melt. "Anyway, do you need some more medicine? I'm going to get you some food so I can make a detour by the Nurse's Office if needed."

"Ah, um…" _Just eating should help, but if I could get rid of this headache today, that'd be nice._ "Y-Yeah, I wouldn't mind some medicine."

"Then I'll go get some. I won't be long, okay?" Makoto nodded, and Kyoko took that as her cue to leave in the direction of the Nurse's Office.

"Love you."

"Love you too, Makoto."

* * *

_Let's see… There has to be someone who left a sandwich in there, right…?_ Kyoko thought and looked inside the large fridge for the whole class. _Ah, there._

"Oh, Kyoko! What are you doing here?"

The Ultimate Detective turned around and noticed Sayaka standing there with a tray in hand.

"Ah, good evening, Sayaka." the lavender-haired girl slightly bowed as she greeted the pop star. "I was getting something for Makoto to eat. He has just woken up after a day of sleep, and I don't want him to wait until breakfast tomorrow to eat something."

"Yeah, that makes sense. Doing better, I hope?" Sayaka asked, slightly nervous; the other girl noticed.

"Yes, clearly. It's not great yet, but definitely better than this morning, at least," Kyoko informed her, taking out a napkin from a compartment as well as a glass of water. "And you know Makoto, Sayaka, even if he was on the verge of death, he'd still look as hopeful as always. I believe we both envy this from him, don't we?"

"I guess we do, yeah." the Ultimate Pop Sensation said and laughed as she set her tray on the counter. "And I think the whole class does, really."

"Indeed, I believe a lot of us wouldn't have grown if it wasn't for Makoto's presence. That's why I don't want him to remain bed-ridden for too long, but I can't take risks with his health, especially in our current predicament. Hopefully, he'll have recovered by tomorrow."

"You keep me updated, please?" Sayaka asked and got ready to leave. "Makoto means a lot to me, and to Leon too, so please make sure he's alright, okay?"

"You have my word, Sayaka." the Kirigiri detective assured her with an earnest nod. "Don't sweat it, though: he'll be alright sooner than we all think, most likely. Well, see you tomorrow, Sayaka."

"Yeah, tomorrow, Kyoko. Sleep tight." the pop idol band leader showed Kyoko her angelic smile before leaving and heading back to her room.

_I can't even imagine how devastated the class would be if something ever happened to Makoto… He's been our beacon of hope for a good while now, so I need to make sure nothing happens to him, even if it's most likely the flu or something…_

With a tray prepared for her boyfriend, the Ultimate Detective left the Dining Hall after making sure to turn off the lights.

* * *

"I'm back, Makoto. There wasn't much remaining of the day's food in the fridge, so I did what I could."

"Ah, Kyoko. Don't worry, I'll manage." the Luckster told her, and she noticed him drooling at the sight of the tray. "I'm starving!"

"I can see that, yes…" the detective sighed at the display of his evident and adorable childishness before she got closer and set the tray on his nightstand. "But before you eat, your medicine."

"Yeah, got it, Mom." he grinned at her, making Kyoko shake her head as she took out the pill and handed him the glass of water. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. That should get rid of the headache completely, or at least, I hope so." the girl got closer to him as he swallowed the pill. "It hurts me to see you sick, Makoto, you couldn't even imagine. You're the most important person in my life, and I can't stand seeing you in the state you were this morning. I love you, Makoto, so I'll always be by your side, okay?"

"Kyoko… Thank you. Thank you for everything you did for me today. You didn't have to, you know?" Makoto told her, as he straightened up on his bed. "And I don't want you to worry about me either. I'll be fine, and while I love it when you're with me, I don't want to slow you down."

"You're not slowing me down, and you never will, Makoto."

She pressed her lips against his in a passionate kiss, catching the Ultimate Lucky Student by surprise as he found himself pinned against his bedpost by his girlfriend.

"A-Ah, Kyoko!" he managed to let out as she pulled away before she plunged right back into his mouth, visibly really eager to show him just how much she meant her words.

Her tongue delicately played with his, and her boyfriend even moaned a bit, a telltale sign for her that she was going a good job of pleasuring him. She could feel that her sick boyfriend had craved the physical attention all day long, and frankly, she had too.

When she pulled away for good - in need of a breather after being in her lover's mouth for so long - she was met with a worried expression on Makoto's face.

"K-Kyoko… You shouldn't have done that…" he told her weakly and began to sob. "You're gonna be sick now!"

 _Oh, Makoto…_ She brushed the forming tears away and stared at him right in the eyes, very much like she had done in the morning. "You worry too much, Makoto. I'll be sick for however long I need to if I can provide you the closeness you need. The closeness _we_ both need. Don't try to tell me you didn't enjoy this kiss, Makoto, I wouldn't believe you."

"Y-Yeah, of course, I enjoyed it…" _I doubt I've ever experienced something as pleasant as kissing Kyoko, honestly…_ "Well, why am I even protesting…? You aren't going to budge on that, are you?"

"Would you?"

"Probably not *cough*."

"Then, there you go. You should eat, you glutton. I can hear your stomach from here!"

She got away from the bed - though not without one last peck on the lips - and went back to sit at Makoto's desk.

The boy got to eating the sandwich, leaving the dorm room in comfortable silence. The Ultimate Detective looked at her lover with a fond smile and began to daydream. Meanwhile, the Luckster bit into the sandwich as if he had not eaten in weeks, filling his stomach at the speed of light.

In a couple of minutes, the sandwich was nowhere to be seen.

*yaaaawn* "I feel like I'm gonna fall asleep again…" Makoto said tiredly. "Kyoko…?"

"Hm, what is it, Makoto?"

"I don't know if I've ever told you, but I have a diary inside my desk in which I sum up my days here. I've been writing in it for quite some time now before going to bed, but I'm not going to be able to today, so do you think you could do it for me, please?"

 _Ah, I didn't know that._ Kyoko realized with an intrigued expression on her otherwise pensive face. _That's a good idea, though…_ "Yes, of course. I just need to sum up your day, right?" _That's going to be short… He remained in bed for the entire day, sleeping like a baby, after all._

"Yeah. *cough* It's just to keep memories when we get out of here, whenever that is," the lucky student explained before yawning again. "Though you're free to write whatever you want if there's anything you want to write in there."

"Hm, I see… I think I can do that." the girl assured him, smiling widely. "You can sleep soundly; I'll take care of it."

"Okay, thanks, Kyoko. Well, see you tomorrow. Love you."

"I love you too, Makoto. More than anyone." she blew him a kiss, which made him smile before he fell asleep, his snoring once again filling the room and leaving Kyoko's mind at peace. _Sleep tight, my love._

She turned around on the chair, directing her attention to her boyfriend's unusually tidy desk. She looked around a few folders before finding a single diary.

_There it is… Let's see, now…_

Opening it and flipping through the pages quickly, the Ultimate Detective realized it was filled with text on every page for about a quarter of it. Makoto had drawn lines to separate the days, and from what she could quickly see, the days followed the same pattern.

_He seems to refer to the eventual reader of this diary as 'Future me'… Always writes the number of the day at the top and signs at the bottom… And then there's a lot of text in-between… I wonder how many hours he spent writing these entries… A lot, I'd imagine._

Turning to a blank page, the detective reached for a pen on her boyfriend's desk and began to write.

" _Day One Hundred and Ten:_

_Makoto's caught something today, and he had to stay in bed. Well, to be more precise, I forced him to rest in bed, but trust me, this was for his own good. You know yourself, Future Makoto, and you're more stubborn than anyone I've ever met before. He wanted to spend the day with the others as usual, but he wouldn't have been able to. He passed out this morning after just going up three flights of stairs, so forget about being as hyperactive as he always is for an entire day. And he slept all day, anyway, so that proved my point._

_He's cute when he's sleeping, Future Makoto. I don't know if the Future Kyoko will ever get to read this, but I hope you get many more chances to see Makoto sleep in your time. The boy is a real treasure to the class, and especially to me. I looked over him for the entire day, and there was not a time I felt it was boring. Makoto is one of my reasons to live, and if he's sick, then I'll take care of him until he's not anymore. His snoring, his cute baby face… Really, I fell in love with the right person._

_And he is also always so hopeful it makes me feel better, even when I'm not the one who needs to feel better. His smile is contagious, and if his hope is a virus that spreads, then this is one I'm more than willing to catch. I'm sure he'll be back on his feet as soon as tomorrow, and even if I didn't tell him this, I can't wait for him to feel better so we can spend more time together with our friends. I hate seeing him ill like he was this morning, and I hope this never happens again._

_Future Kyoko, you must take care of Makoto, okay? Whatever happens, he is someone who means the world to me, as my boyfriend and as a beacon of hope. And to you, Future Makoto, I hope we'll be together for many years to come, and if you ever doubt my love for you, then know that I love you more than I've ever loved someone. I'm here for you, and Future Kyoko is too. We'll go through many things together, perhaps not all good, but I'm there, and I'll always be._

_I love you, and I know you do too._

_Your girlfriend,  
_ _Kyoko Kirigiri."_

Managing not to let her curiosity overcome her and read some of the other pages, Kyoko set the pen and the diary down and stood up. She went to kiss her boyfriend's sleeping form one last time before turning off the lights and leaving the room, a content smile on her face.

_Good night, Makoto. Whether you're sick or healthy, know that I love you just as much._

_**To be continued...**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was my first time writing a sick fic, so I hope I did a good job. Well, with the current context of the pandemic going around, it was at least a good way for me to end this first chapter on a hopeful note. I don't know when I'll be able to publish the second chapter of this story, since I will most likely finish writing my Naegiri Weeks entries before I write it. Well, you can expect it before December 7th, at least. I hope you liked this first chapter and if you did, please leave a comment!
> 
> Stay safe, and have a nice day!


	2. Kyoko's Sickness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto wakes up feeling much better than the day before. Feeling lucky, he goes to get Kyoko to head to breakfast with her. Could he realize that things might not go so smoothly?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second and final chapter of this story! It takes place right after the first one, so also in-between Hifumi's and Celeste's scenes in Chapter Fourteen of The Academy of Hope. I'd like to thank WiiFan2009 again for suggesting this story on my Tumblr! I hope you like it! ^^

** _Chapter Two:_ _Kyoko's Sickness_ **

Makoto let out a sigh of relief when he opened his eyes and didn't feel like his head could explode at any moment. Placing a hand on his forehead to check if he was still running his fever from the day prior, he was glad when he didn't feel anything out of the ordinary.

_Phew, looks like the medicine worked miracles! That means I can spend the day with the others again today!_ He thought, already fired up at the idea of being with Sayaka, Leon, and all the others once more. _But first, a shower, and then, to the Dining Hall!_

With a happy smile on his face, the Ultimate Lucky Student went to shower and put on his favorite hoodie. He grabbed his e-handbook on the nightstand and headed out. He realized this was going to be a special day when he didn't forget to lock his door - as amazing a feat as it was for him!

_Now, I should probably see if Kyoko's still in her room._ The boy thought, turning to see his girlfriend's door right next to his. He took out his handbook and pulled out the map app, which showed him that the Ultimate Detective was still in her room. Well, her e-handbook was, at least, but Kyoko wasn't the type to forget it.

*driiiing* *driiiing*

Makoto waited for someone to come open the door for him, still smiling. However, the smile gradually turned into a frown as no one came after thirty seconds.

_Even if she was still asleep, the ringing should have woken her up…_ The Luckster realized, quickly growing worried as a full minute had passed without an answer. _Guess I'll ring again…_

*driiiing* *driiiing*

He went back to waiting for a bit, unconsciously biting his nails in discomfort. Makoto liked to give Kyoko the space she needed, but that didn't mean he couldn't worry for his girlfriend when she wasn't opening her door, either. He let out a breath he'd been holding for quite a while when the door slowly opened.

"Ah, Kyoko! You had me worried- huh?"

Makoto's eyes narrowed as he took in the detective girl's figure and how pale she was. She was already usually not the most tanned girl in the class, but there, she looked like a ghost! Her violet eyes were also barely opened, and she stood shakily.

"H-Hey, Kyoko, are you alright?!" Makoto asked, growing worried once more as his girlfriend seemed a bit lost in her own world. _Oh no, don't tell me…_ "Let's get you back to bed; you're definitely in no shape to stand right now!"

Fully opening the door and closing it behind them, Makoto took the best hold of the lavender-haired girl he could and led her to her bed. He placed her softly and got a weak yet grateful nod from Kyoko.

"You caught what I had yesterday, didn't you?" the boy asked rhetorically, feeling his happy mood go down the drain.

"Seems like it…" she replied, speaking as clearly as she could. _It's been a while since I haven't been this sick… I suppose after kissing someone as ill as Makoto was yesterday, I should have expected as much… I regret nothing, though…_

The lucky student's expression was torn between guilt and frustration at his girlfriend as he said, "I'm sorry you got it from me, Kyoko… But I told you you shouldn't have kissed me yesterday!" _Man, that sucks!_

"Did you hear me complain that I was sick, Makoto?" the girl asked him with a stern look, which made her boyfriend gulp. _Too cold, Kyoko! I hate myself… He's only trying to care for me…_ "Sorry, this came out as aggressive. But I am not complaining, Makoto. I told you yesterday that I'd be sick if I needed to, and I haven't moved on that."

"Kyoko…" Makoto smiled when she did. "I'll check your temperature, okay?" seeing her nod, the Ultimate Lucky Student placed his hand on her forehead… before removing it immediately. "W-Woah, you're burning hot, Kyoko!" _That's even worse than what I had yesterday!_ "You need medicine!"

"I'm fine, don't worry… *cough* *cough*" _Maybe not so much…_

The guilty look came back on Makoto's face as his shoulders slumped. "This is all my fault… If only you had not stayed at my bedside for an entire day…"

The detective sighed as she listened to her lover, currently blaming himself for her current state. "Makoto." she said and waited for him to look at her in the eyes before she added, "I did what I had to, and I did it out of my free will. This is not your fault, so stop blaming yourself, okay?"

"K-Kyoko…"

"No more self-blaming!" the girl insisted, raising her voice as high as her weakened state would allow.

_Even sick, she's still assertive!_ Makoto realized, rolling his eyes. "Fine, fine. You win."

"Good. Now, go and spend the- mmph!"

Kyoko felt her breath catch as Makoto pressed his lips against her own and engulfed her in a soft kiss. Their positioning was a bit awkward as she was lying on her bed, and he was standing upright, but feeling her boyfriend's love did miracles against her headache.

That was, of course, until she realized that Makoto's lips should _not_ be on her own at the moment. Kyoko pulled away from the kiss in a hurry, making the boy gasp in surprise.

"M-Makoto! You'll get sick again at this rate!" she admonished, her voice betraying some panic. "What the hell are you thinking, kissing me like this?!"

"Hey, weren't you the one who began to kiss me as if her life depended on it yesterday?" her boyfriend asked, making Kyoko groan. "Kyoko, you need to realize that you don't owe me anything. You took care of me yesterday, so I'll do the same. I'll be sick again if I need to, and I know you'd be willing to do the same thing again if it came down to that, right?"

_He's not wrong…_ "Yes… You're right… *cough*" the ill detective admitted begrudgingly. "But I don't want to see you sick, either."

"Hey, neither do I, trust me." the Ultimate Lucky Student assured her, stepping away from her bed. With a reassuring smile, he told his girlfriend, "I'm going to get you some breakfast and medicine, alright? You stay there until I come back, got it?"

Kyoko simply nodded in understanding. _I could probably manage, but I did force him to stay bedridden yesterday, so I guess it's only fair…_ *cough*

The Luckster stepped out of Kyoko's room, and after closing her door, let out a long and tired sigh.

_Great… Way to ruin my mood, and I haven't even gone to the Dining Hall yet!_

* * *

Makoto entered the Dining Hall and noticed his classmates eating at different tables. He wasn't surprised to see Chihiro, Taka, and Mondo at the same table, or that Byakuya was alone with just Toko being not too far away, for example.

Not wanting to leave his sick girlfriend alone for too long, the Ultimate Lucky Student directly headed for the kitchen to find her something to eat. He entered and noticed two of his classmates already inside.

"Hey, that's Makoto!" Sayaka exclaimed as she saw the Luckster enter. "You're back! How are you doing?"

"Ah, it's good to see you, man!" Leon added, smiling as he noticed his best friend doing much better than he did the day before. "You had babe, and I worried yesterday, you know?"

"Hello, guys…" Makoto said, a little embarrassed. He knew he had dropped unconscious in front of them and felt a bit guilty, knowing that he had made them worry. "Sorry about yesterday… I didn't want to tell Kyoko I was sick or she was going to have me bedridden, haha. Guess it happened anyway."

"Well, the most important is that you're already back among us," Sayaka said, and she seemed genuinely relieved. It made Makoto happy to know his friends cared. "But where is Kyoko, Makoto? I thought she'd come with you this morning…"

"Ah, about that…" the boy sighed as he went to the fridge, which made the couple frown. "Kyoko caught what I had yesterday, you see? She wanted to kiss me and told me she didn't care if she caught it, and it's now even worse than what I had…"

"Oh no… I-Is she… Is she alright, Makoto…?" the Ultimate Pop Sensation asked weakly, her cheeriness gone. Leon patted her shoulder and wrapped a reassuring arm around his girlfriend in comfort. "If you say it's worse than what you had…"

"Well, she wasn't doing great when I came to her room earlier, that's for sure… That's why I wanted to get her something to eat before I go back there and spend the day with her." Makoto explained and got a nod from the redhead. He brewed a cup of Civet Coffee for his girlfriend, her absolute favorite. "It sucks, but there's not much I can do about it except hope it'll get better soon…"

"Yeah, that's kind of shitty, especially in our situation…" the Ultimate Baseball Star commented in agreement with his lucky friend. "Do you think babe and I can come and greet her during the day?"

"Hm…" _Some company other than me would probably make Kyoko happy, but…_ "I'm sorry, but I'm not sure that's a great idea. Since we're sheltered here, it's probably better if we limit the people in contact with the sickness to the bare minimum. I know you want to see her, and she would probably be glad to see you, but…"

"Yeah, don't worry, man, we understand." Leon assured him on his and his girlfriend's behalf before adding, "You'll greet her for us, okay?"

"Yes, and you wish her a speedy recovery, too, okay?" the blue-haired idol requested, seemingly a little less worried, though she wasn't doing _fine_ either.

_I'm happy to see people care for Kyoko, too… She deserves it more than anyone…_ Makoto thought, feeling emotional for his beloved Ultimate Detective. "I will. Well, I'll bring this to her and make a detour by the Nurse's Office to get her some medicine for her fever. Hopefully, she'll be doing better tomorrow, and we'll be able to come together to breakfast…"

The Ultimate Lucky Student took the tray he had prepared while chatting with his two closest friends - Kyoko excluded, of course - and with a last smile, took off to the Nurse's Office.

"See ya', Makoto!" both Leon and Sayaka exclaimed with a handwave, making Makoto smile.

_Being with Kyoko is better than what I had any right to ask for, but it wouldn't be quite the same if I didn't have such great friends… Sayaka, Leon… I'm glad to have met you, really…_

* * *

Makoto opened the door to the Nurse's Office with difficulty because of the tray he was holding, notably with the steaming cup of Civet Coffee, though he managed to enter and set it on a counter to get the medicine Kyoko needed.

He looked through the shelves to find something that worked against fevers and headaches. At least, the nice thing about their current situation was that Makoto knew what his girlfriend had caught and also knew what her symptoms were. Maybe this wasn't much, but it was better than selecting random medicine and pray for it to work.

_I ran a high fever and had intense headaches, so painkillers, I guess…_ The Luckster thought, reaching high on the counter to get what he wanted. _Man, it sucks to be short…_ With one leap, he managed to grab the pills for Kyoko and inspected the label. _These seem pretty strong… And it says here it works well against fevers, so I guess I'll give her that…_

"Makoto?"

"Huh?!" the boy jumped in surprise as he heard a strong masculine voice call him out from outside the room. "W-Who's there?" _Don't scare me like that!_

"It's me, Makoto," they said as they stepped inside, making Makoto sigh in relief when he realized it was none other than the Headmaster. "Good morning."

"A-Ah, um… Good morning, sir…" Makoto greeted back, once again forgetting formalities weren't needed with his girlfriend's father, by his own demands. _He's gonna ask, isn't he…?_

Not missing a beat, Jin immediately asked, "What are you doing in the Nurse's Office, Makoto? Are you sick?"

The Ultimate Lucky Student found himself a little conflicted, to be honest. He didn't want to hide anything from the Principal, but he also knew Kyoko most likely wouldn't want him to know. Still, he decided that honesty was the best policy and told him the truth.

"No, I'm not… Well, not anymore, at least…" the lucky student began and scratched the back of his head. "Though Kyoko stayed at my bedside for an entire day and got sick in turn… So I was about to bring her breakfast and some medicine…"

He waited for Jin to freak out and didn't have to wait long.

"W-What?! Kyoko's sick?!" the man exclaimed, frowning and panicking at the same time. "I-Is she alright, Makoto?!"

"W-Well… Kyoko's been better, but she's a strong girl, so it's not like a bit of medicine won't get her back into shape, sir…" he muttered, seeing Jin gradually worrying. "I've gotta go and deliver her the medicine, sir."

"You do that." the Headmaster asked, almost ordered. "I'll go and see her in the meantime. Don't take too long: Kyoko needs you!"

_Yessir… I better get back to Kyoko's room before he has a heart attack… I mean… Kyoko's not about to die!_

* * *

"Get out. I certainly don't need you right now."

Makoto entered his girlfriend's room with a long sigh as he noticed Jin by her bedside. He exactly knew what was happening, but he couldn't say he liked it very much.

_Kyoko's probably irritable, so seeing her father come to see her out of the blue like this must not have pleased her…_ The Luckster thought and made his way inside, only to see the Headmaster's shoulders slump. "I'm back, Kyoko. I got you breakfast, medicine, and a cup of Civet Coffee."

"Ah, Makoto!" she cheered as she noticed her loved one coming near her bed. "Thanks, you're too kind. *cough* Could you please set it on my nightstand?"

"Sure." Makoto did as he was told, then went silent, leaving the room in an awkward moment of quiet, with neither of the Kirigiris saying anything.

"I think I asked you to get out, Headmaster." Kyoko reminded him, and Makoto could almost see the pain in his eyes as the words reached his ears. "I am sick, and I need to rest. Makoto's presence shall be all I need for the day, so leave."

Jin sighed, both frustratingly and annoyingly. "I'm trying to erase the mistakes of my past, bit by bit, and you won't even let me, Kyoko! Okay, maybe I cannot be the father you deserve again, but you don't have to be so cold to me when all I want is to see how my sick daughter is doing! I know Makoto's way more than enough for you, but that doesn't mean you have to reject me for God's sake!"

_Wow, I think it's the first time he's actually argued back…_ The Ultimate Lucky Student realized though he made sure not to intervene… yet. He could always speak up if he felt the situation was out of control… just like _back then_.

Kyoko's eyes widened in surprise as her father actually talked back to her. For any father and daughter, this wouldn't have been so surprising, but for the Ultimate Detective, it was definitely a first.

_He's angry… but he can see if I care!_ She thought, barely managing to keep her cool as she exclaimed, "Get out! Can't you see I want to spend time with my boyfriend here?! See, even this you can't do right! Every time I think you might actually be a better person than I thought *cough*, you always find a way to tick me off! So go now! Makoto, kick him out!"

"M-Me?!" _Hey, I'm not getting involved in kicking the Headmaster out of the room! Taking part in a family argument that I'm okay with, but not pointless conflicts!_

"No need." the man said and turned around. " I'll be on my way; no need to show me to the door, Makoto. Just… *sob* take care of Kyoko until she feels better, alright?"

"S-Sir…" _He's crying again! Grr, these Kirigiris!_ Deciding the situation called for some hope, the boy took on his most hopeful and energetic voice as he promised, "I will, sir! I swear; Kyoko'll be back on her feet before you know it!"

"Good. Have a nice day together, then…"

With that, Jin took his leave, and from the sound of the door banging when he closed it, he wasn't satisfied with the way this talk had gone. How could he, Makoto wondered.

"*cough* I'm sorry you had to witness that, *cough* Makoto." Kyoko apologized after a few more seconds of silence. "You always get dragged up in my family business when you shouldn't. Anyway, thank you again for bringing me breakfast and some medicine. I didn't *cough* think you'd get me a cup of Civet Coffee, but that's very much… *achoo*… appreciated."

"You're welcome, Kyoko," he replied, genuinely smiling again. "I thought it would do you some good."

"Indeed." the detective girl poured herself a glass of water and downed the pill in one gulp. "Hopefully, this makes me feel better soon. Being sick isn't fun, though I guess I'll grin and bear it until I get better."

"Yeah… Well, I'm here until you're not sick anymore, okay?" Makoto told her, caressing her cheek slowly with his hand, making her smile. "But you have to answer me something, okay?"

The detective girl sighed, knowing what was coming up. _Let's get this over with…_ "I'm listening."

"Why did you tell your father to leave like this? He genuinely wanted to take care of you for a while."

"You couldn't understand, Makoto…" she told him, closing her eyes in thought. "It's too easy for him to use the opportunity to get back on my good side, but I can't let him do that. If he wants my love, *cough* then he's got to give me a reason to love him, just like you did."

"But, Kyoko-"

The Ultimate Detective cut him off. "I know, I have been getting closer to *cough* him in the past few months, but… There are times I don't want to see him, and this is one of them *cough* *cough*. Seeing him trying to take care of me now… reminds me that he wasn't there when I needed him in the past. Besides…" Kyoko brushed away the tear under her eye. "I only want to be with my loving boyfriend right now, not anyone else. My Grandfather never was any good at comforting me, but you are. It's all that matters to me."

"Kyoko…" _If you need me… then I'll be there for you._ "I love you."

"I love you too, Makoto." the violet-eyed girl replied and began to sip her coffee. "I probably *cough* *cough* don't deserve you, do I…?"

"Hm?" _Where's that coming from?_ "Why are you saying this, Kyoko?" Makoto asked, genuinely wondering.

"I mean that you do care for me when I probably don't deserve anybody *cough* to care for me," she explained, looking at her Luckster with her tired yet cute eyes. "There are many times I wonder why you love me."

_Here we go again… She can say what she wants about me, but Kyoko also has her own self-confidence issues… Maybe the illness is making her say things she doesn't really think, too…_ "You know why I love you, Kyoko. You're smart, you're the best at what you do, you're kind, and you're pretty. If this isn't enough for me to love you, then I don't know what more you need."

"Hmph. Point taken," she said and went back to her coffee. _If he says it enough, I might even begin to believe it…_ *cough*

Makoto stood up and went to sit at his girlfriend's desk, which was - as always - very organized. He tried his best to take a page from her book in that regard. On the other hand, she was trying to take pages from his. Their whole relationship was based on improving mutually. If Makoto had a flaw and Kyoko had a quality, then he'd learn from her and improve. The Ultimate Detective felt that it was most often the other way around, but she enjoyed knowing she was becoming a better girlfriend to the Ultimate Lucky Student.

"Did you find my diary yesterday?" he asked.

"I did," she replied without hesitation, taking a bite from an apple he brought her. "And I wrote yesterday's entry, just like you wanted."

"Ah, thanks, Kyoko. By the way, did you-"

"No, I didn't look through the rest of the diary." _Too predictable…_ Kyoko thought with a knowing smile. "I was tempted, I'll admit, but I didn't. Don't worry, your secrets are safe…"

He blushed a bit before stuttering, "H-Hey, I don't have anything to hide! Y-You could have read through it, and I wouldn't have minded!"

"Yes, I am just kidding, Makoto. And knowing you, even if you had a secret, you wouldn't be able to actually keep it secret for very long…" she giggled and felt better as she did. "You even more open than an open book…"

"Nothing new here." the boy deadpanned. "And honestly, if I had anything to hide, then I probably wouldn't have fallen in love with the Ultimate Detective, don't you think?"

The Kirigiri detective laughed, and she couldn't help but think that her boyfriend was right. But she also knew him better than anyone now, and she couldn't believe for a second that Makoto Naegi was capable of keeping a secret from her.

Kyoko didn't like it when her friends kept things hidden from her, so she wasn't going to complain. Not now, at least. Maybe in the future, but not now.

* * *

It was already eight in the evening, and the day had passed without incident. Makoto had stayed by Kyoko's bedside for the entire day, chatting with her about different subjects, such as the Luckster's childhood and family, Kyoko's most memorable cases… She seemed to be doing much better than she was just a few hours before, her skin a little less pale and her coughs less and less frequent.

She had proposed a movie, which her boyfriend immediately accepted. To be honest, it was just an excuse for her so that Makoto would be next to her in bed, but she didn't care. She wanted him close.

Thus, Kyoko snuggled against her boyfriend's figure, craving the warm sensation of his closeness to her. On his end, Makoto smiled, happy that he could provide his favorite detective the comfort she needed.

"I love you, Makoto…" she weakly muttered before yawning tiredly. "So much…"

"I love you too, Kyoko," he replied, wrapping his arm around her exhausted body as the movie continued to play on her TV. "And you're cute when you snuggle against me like that, you know?"

She gave a giggle and playfully slapped him on the cheek. "Aren't I *yawn* always cute…?"

Makoto wordlessly replied by kissing her softly on the tip of the nose, drawing another giggle from her. He then began to stroke her long hair lovingly, fiddling with it with his fingers. He leaned closer to her, more focused on staring at her than watching the detective movie she had requested to watch with him.

_Let's just hope she doesn't ask for a detailed summary of the film because I haven't paid attention at all!_ He mused as he took one of her hands with his. Upon feeling the material of her glove, he spoke up.

"Kyoko? May I remove your glove?" it was full of care, and especially, he made her understand that it was her choice. No matter how close they got, he made sure she was always okay with showing him her hands, especially with how sensitive this subject was.

"Y-Yes… Go ahead…" the girl said without hesitation and yawned again. _I want to feel Makoto… as I fall asleep…_

"Okay." Makoto smiled, then proceeded to remove the black glove from her hand and set it on the nightstand. Feeling her skin felt relaxing for the Luckster, who always felt privileged when his girlfriend showed him her biggest secret. "Knowing you trust me like this, Kyoko… it warms my heart."

She was barely awake now, with her eyes fluttering. "H-Huh…?" she weakly managed to let out, as Makoto's figure blurred.

"Don't worry, it's nothing. Just fall asleep if you need, alright?" the hazel-eyed boy told her and felt her nod weakly against him. "You need your rest, with how sick you are."

Without needing to be told twice, the Ultimate Detective closed her eyes, and after a few seconds only, Makoto heard her snore really lowly. He chuckled as he realized she wasn't as loud as he was.

"Sleep tight, Kyoko, and sweet dreams."

He removed himself from her bedsheets and placed the glove back on her hand. Getting up from the bed and gathering his hoodie on the nearby chair as well as her key so he could close the door for her on the way out, Makoto turned around to kiss his girlfriend on the lips one last time before taking his leave, slightly teary-eyed.

_You'll be better in no time, Kyoko. And even if you're not, then I'll just be by your side until you are. I love you._

Making sure to close the door quietly as to not disturb his lover's peaceful slumber, Makoto went back to his own room just next door. It lacked Kyoko's presence, but he did his best not to think about it too much. If he was being honest with himself, sleeping with Kyoko was something he would love, but he was too shy to ask. He always told himself that he would wait for her to suggest it, though he didn't know when that would be.

_Instead, it's just my bed and I, all alone… But I shouldn't complain, really…_ Looking at the bolted window of the room, Makoto shook his head. _We should be dead already, but we're not. It would be disrespectful to those who weren't as lucky as we are to give in to despair…_

_And we're not really alone, are we?_

With enough imagination, the Ultimate Lucky Student could still feel his pretty girlfriend's presence with him, even when she was sleeping in the next room. He took a seat at his desk and took out his diary.

" _Day One Hundred and Eleven:_

_Kyoko was sick today from staying at my bedside for the entire day yesterday. It sucks, but she wasn't doing too badly when I left her, so I don't think there's any reason to worry. I think she just needs rest, honestly. Other than that, I got to see Leon and Sayaka again, and they seemed genuinely relieved to see me back on my feet. Man, the way I fell unconscious yesterday must have been humiliating! Make sure not to try to fight through it if you get sick, okay, Future me? That'll save us both the embarrassment._

_Other than that, they grew worried again as soon as I told them about Kyoko. It pained me that I had to refuse them to see her, but I think it was the wiser choice… I don't know what would happen if the disease spread to the entire shelter, but considering we do not have a doctor among us… it probably wouldn't be ideal._

_What wasn't ideal but that did happen is how Kyoko told her father off when he came to check up on her this morning. Long story short, I met him while in the Nurse's Office to get Kyoko's medicine, and he became frantic as soon as I told him that Kyoko was sick. The last time I saw him like that… well, I don't need to tell you when it was, right…? Kyoko didn't want to see him. Like, she really didn't. Man, she even asked me to kick him out of her room when I came back!_

_I hope they'll mend their relationship one day. I hope for that more than anything._

_After that, well… I tried to remain as close to Kyoko as she needed. I know I needed her comfort yesterday, and she provided it to me. It's only natural I do the same for her in turn. She always wonders why I love her. I really wish she didn't. If only she could realize what she means to me… I know she doesn't doubt my love, but… it'd be much better if she understood why I love her so much._

_I'll save you the sad story, though, Future me. Anyway, Kyoko's strong, so a simple sickness won't keep her sidelined for very long, I'm sure. I mean, if I got better in a day, then there's no way she isn't feeling better tomorrow morning! Until then, I hope she's having some lovely dreams and a well-needed rest!_

_Your past self,  
_ _Makoto Naegi."_

Makoto closed the diary, got up from the chair at his desk, and jumped in bed, yawning exhaustingly. He didn't bother with getting into pajamas or even removing his hoodie and just got under the bedsheets as fast as he could.

"These two days have been kinda crazy, but I'm sure tomorrow will be just fine."

He closed his eyes and drifted to sleep in a matter of seconds, with a smile on his face.

* * *

"M-Mako… M-Makoto…" Kyoko muttered in her sleep, feeling her boyfriend's aura around her. "C-Cute… Y-You're… cute…"

Her eyes didn't open at all, and her voice was barely audible, not above a sleepy whisper. Makoto wasn't even here, but she could feel him, right next to her. She could see him in her dreams, hear his voice, and feel his love.

"I… I-I love… you… Makoto…"

In the end, her Luckster's love had proven to be her best medicine.

_**The End.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the second part of this sickfic. I'm still inexperienced when it comes to writing sickfics, so there's probably a lot that can be improved upon, but I did my best lol. Naegiri Week is right around the corner, so I'm looking forward to this, and I hope you are too! Until then, please leave a comment as it really helps me with motivation :) I hope you have a great day!
> 
> Love, Moiloru.


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